Parents' Association Constitution
1.0 PREAMBLE
We the Parents and Guardians of pupils of Terenure College acknowledge that:
Terenure College is an educational institution owned and managed by the Carmelite Order recognised as a centre of learning and a community of faith where the traditions of the Carmelite Order are enshrined. As a consequence the Core Values, as defined in the Mission Statement for Terenure College, are promoted in the daily life of the College.
We constitute ourselves as a Parents’ Association as follows:
2.0 TITLE - MEMBERSHIP
2.1 The body shall be known as the Terenure College Parents’ Association.
2.2 All Parents and Guardians of pupils enrolled in the College are deemed to be members of the Association.
2.3 The Association recognises that problems relating to individual pupils or parents and/or teachers are a matter for determination between the individual pupil and/or parents/guardians and the College authorities.
2.4 The Association will remain independent but may affiliate to other bodies and Associations where such affiliation will be deemed to be of benefit to the College.
3.0 OBJECTIVES
3.1 To support and initiate, where appropriate activities which advance the aims and objectives of the College, as outlined in the Mission Statement, ensuring that such activities will not interfere with the process of management of the College. Please click here for Terenure College Mission Statement.
3.2 By actively creating and promoting communication channels between parents and guardians provide opportunities for discussion, information and consultation about matters of common and or topical interest to parents, teachers and pupils of the College.
3.3 To promote and support the role of parents and guardians as the prime educators of their children.
3.4 To proactively create a sense of community among parents and guardians to embody the Ethos of the College and its Carmelite influence so that all can advance in a spirit of co-operation and mutual support to the benefit of parents, guardians, pupils, teachers and the Community.
3.5 Where deemed appropriate, to support or lead fundraising activities related to the enhancement of facilities within the school and/or related to school charities.
4.0 COMMITTEE
4.1 The affairs of the Association shall be conducted by a Committee consisting of ten voting members two of whom shall be co-opted by the Board of Management and where possible eight members elected at the Annual General Meeting as follows:
4.1a where possible, at least one member from the parents and guardians of pupils in each year in the Senior School to represent that year and in the event that this cannot be achieved, 3 members shall be selected to represent the parents and guardians of pupils in the Junior Cycle and a further 3 members selected to represent the parents and guardians of pupils of Transition Year and Senior Cycle.
In the event of any positions not being filled the Committee with the concurrence of the Board of Management will have the authority to fill the vacancy by co-option.
The period of office shall run from the date of election or co-option until the next following Annual General Meeting.
4.2 The Committee shall consist of the membership outlined above and in addition the Prior of the College and the Principal of the Senior School will be deemed to be ex-officio members but with no voting rights at Committee Meetings.
4.3 The first business of the incoming Committee each year shall be to elect the officers of the Association as follows:
• Chairperson
• Vice-Chairperson
• Honorary Secretary
• Honorary Treasurer.
4.4 Committee meetings shall be chaired by the Chairperson or in the absence of the Chairperson the Vice-Chairperson. Otherwise those members present shall elect a Chairperson for the meeting.
4.5 Committee resolutions shall be passed by a simple majority of those members present and entitled to vote. The Chairperson will have a casting vote.
4.6 A quorum at meetings will consist of six Committee members.
4.7 Ordinarily members shall be given seven days’ notice or more in advance of a meeting. Meetings will usually be held on a monthly basis, usually on the second Monday.
4.8 The Honorary Secretary shall keep minutes of all decisions agreed at the Committee meetings.
4.8.1 The minutes of the previous meeting shall be tabled for approval by the committee at its next meeting.
4.9 The Committee may invite, with the prior approval of the Board of Management, to attend its meetings such persons as it wishes.
4.10 All members of the Association shall have the right to be fully informed of all decisions of the Committee.
4.11 In the absence of just cause notified in advance and accepted by the Committee, an elected or co-opted member of the Committee having not attended at three (3) consecutive meetings of the Committee will, at the discretion of the Committee, be deemed to have resigned from the Committee.
4.12 If a vacancy arises during the period of office of the Committee such vacancy may be filled by co-option at the discretion of the Committee and The Board of Management.
4.13 Committee members are accountable to the Honorary Treasurer for all monies coming into their possession in relation to Parent Association events and activities.
4.14 The Honorary Treasurer is accountable to the Committee for all monies coming into his/her possession in relation to Parent Association events and activities.
4.15 No monies will be expended in relation to the Association, its events or other activities unless first generally approved by the Committee.
4.16 Specific payments of Parents' Association monies require the advance approval of the Honorary Chairperson and Honorary Secretary. The Honorary Treasurer is responsible for the timely disbursement of funds to meet any expenditure necessary for the Association once approved by both the Chairperson and Secretary.
5.0 ELECTION OF COMMITTEES
5.1 Only members of the Association may be elected onto the Committee. Nominations for election shall not be accepted at the Annual General Meeting. Nominations must be submitted to the Honorary Secretary in writing no later than 3 days (not including day of receipt or the day of the Annual General Meeting) before the Annual General Meeting and it must carry the nominee’s consent and signatures of a proposer and a seconder, both of whom must be members of the Association. Each member in exercise of their vote may vote for not more than one of the candidates named on the ballot paper.
5.2 Voting shall be by secret ballot.
5.3 No parent or guardian shall be eligible to be an elected member of the Committee on more than three consecutive years but such a member can be co-opted for additional terms.
6.0 GENERAL MEETINGS
6.1 The Annual General Meeting shall normally be held in May.
6.1.1 An invitation to be in attendance (but not having a vote) at the AGM shall be extended to the parents of pupils enrolled to join the school in the forthcoming academic year.
6.2 Extraordinary General Meetings will be called by the Committee when it deems it necessary to do so or when it receives a written request by parents and or guardians of twenty percent or more of the pupils enrolled in the College.
6.3 Members shall be entitled to not less than seven days’ notice of any General Meeting along with the proposed agenda for the meeting.
6.4 A quorum at general meetings will consist of ten parents excluding Committee members.
6.5 The agenda for the AGM will include the approval of the minutes from the previous year’s AGM; the Honorary Chairperson’s report; Honorary Secretary’s and Honorary Treasurer’s reports; and any other business considered appropriate by the Committee.
6.6 The Honorary Secretary is responsible for taking minutes of the general meetings and circulating them as appropriate. The next Committee meeting should consider the Secretary’s minutes of the general meeting.
6.7 Other than for changes to the Constitution (see 7.1 below) and the dissolution of the Association (see 7.2 below) all business at general meetings shall be decided by simple majority of those present and eligible to vote.
7.0 THE CONSTITUTION
7.1 Changes to the Constitution shall be made only at a General Meeting. Any such changes shall require a two-thirds majority of those present and voting at the meeting and the consent of the Board of Management. Any notice of a motion for the Annual General Meeting which proposes a change in the Constitution shall be publicised to the membership at least two weeks prior to the AGM. The proposed changes shall bear the names of the proposer and seconders and shall also be communicated to the Management.
7.2 The dissolution of the Association shall require a General Meeting. In the event of the dissolution of the Association all its assets shall pass to the Board of Management.
8.0 SUB-COMMITTEES / WORKING PARTIES
8.1 The Committee may constitute and dissolve Sub-Committees of the Association and Working Parties, as it considers necessary, to achieve the objectives of the Association. Any such bodies will be accountable to the Committee.
8.2 Where practicable, each year, the Committee will constitute one or all of the following sub-committees which will be accountable to the Committee:
-fund raising
-communications with parents
-sports day/blazers
-nominations/Parents’ Association Committee renewal
-any other subcommittee or working party as deemed necessary or expedient.
8.3 Sub-committee decisions have no effect until ratified by the Committee.
8.4 Each sub-committee must be chaired by a member of the Committee.
8.5 Parents and guardians and other interested parties may be invited to sit on a sub-committee at the Committee’s discretion.
9.0 ANNUAL REPORTS
9.1 Each year, the Honorary Treasurer will prepare a receipts and payments account for the twelve months ended 31 March (or later) showing the amounts received and paid by or on behalf of the Parents' Association. The receipts and payments should be analysed by Parents' Association event or activity as appropriate. To the extent possible the receipts and payments account should note any sums not yet received or paid which relate to the activities of the Parents' Association in that year.
9.2 Each year, the Honorary Secretary will prepare a clear and concise report of the Parents' Association activities consistent with the events and activities shown in the receipts and payments accounts and highlighting any Parents' Association events and activities which did not involve receipts or payments.
9.3 At its last meeting prior to the AGM, the Honorary Treasurer’s report and the Honorary Secretary’s report shall be presented to the Committee for approval.
9.4 The Chairperson shall make the approved reports available to the Board of Management and to members attending the AGM.
9.5 The Chairperson shall cause the approved reports to be posted to the appropriate Parents' Association page on the College website subsequent to the AGM.
10.0 WEBSITE
10.1 At least one Committee meeting each year will consider the information on the College website in relation to the Parents' Association.
10.2 It shall be the Honorary Secretary’s responsibility to cause whatever updates are approved by the Committee from time to time to be updated to the relevant College website pages.
11.0 UPDATES TO CONSTITUTION
11.1 At least one Committee meeting each year will consider the text of the Constitution and make the appropriate arrangements to ensure its timely updating.
12.0 APPROVAL
12.1 This Constitution was approved by the Parents' Association at its AGM held on 10th May 2022